Method of making imitation moccasins



July 16, 1940.

METHOD OF MAKING IMITATION MOCCASINS Filed July 13, 1957 Patented July 16, 1940 BIETI-IbD OF MAKING IMITATION MOCCASINS' William Finn, Chelsea, Mass, assignor to Abraham S. Guterman, Brookline, and Harry N. Guterman, Newton, Mass, and Gustave G. Werman and Harold N. Werman, Brooklyn,

N. Y., trustees Application July 13, 1937',Serial No. 153,342

2 Claims.

This invention relates to shoemaking, and more especially to a method of making one piece vamp and tongue sections for-moccasins of the type known as imitation moccasins, as distinguished from this class of footwear in which the vamp and tongue are formed in separate pieces.

Several methods have been proposed for mak ing one piece vamp and tongue sections. for imitation moccasins, and-each is subject to certain limitations and objections.

For example, it has been proposed to cut with a sharp instrument on the grain side of the leather a line defining the juncture between the vamp and tongue sections, thereby breaking the surface grain, folding the material back, upon itself and passing a line of stitches through the ridge so formed. This method, however, requires that the two sides of the ridge be united by adhesive before the folding operation, and for that reason has not been put to practical use.

The method aforesaid has been superseded by placinga cord below the cut defining the juncture between the vamp and tongue sections to raise the surface of the blank and thereby form a bead having the configuration of the tongue section, and then stitching perpendicularly through the material on either side of the inserted cord by a two-needle three-thread sewing machine,this method being an improvement on a prior method in which the surface of the material was not cut and the bead, formed as above outlined, had a continuous surface.

The present invention comprises a method whereby the disadvantages of those above recited are eliminated and the cost of a one-piece vamp and tongue substantially reduced. According to my improved method, the vamp blank is first inserted over a die which mechanically cuts through the grain. side thereof the outline of the tongue section, the cut breaking the surface of the grain but not extending through to the flesh side of the leather. needle machine provided with a. looper and passed over a fin extending upwardly from the needle plate whereby successive portions of the outline of the tongue section are forced upwardly to form a rib or bead, and simultaneously said rib is set by two rows of stitches. passing perpendicularly through successive portions of the leather on the respective sides of the rib.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a die plate that may The blank is then placed in a twobe used for carrying improved method.

Fig. 2- is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

out one of the steps of my Fig. 3; is a plan of a needle plate provided with the fin whereby successive portions of the material lying under the out having the configuration of the tongue section are forced upwardly.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an elevation partly in section showing the position of 'the materialas it passes through the sewing machine between the needle plate and the presser-foot, said presser-foot being shown in front elevation. v

Figs. 6, 7 and 8, respectively, are a side elevation, a plan view, and an under plan view of a presser-foot that may be used in practicing my method.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a vamp blank after the outline'of the tongue section has been cut into the grain surface thereof. x

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line l0lll of Fi 9.

Fig. l1 is a plan view of a one-piece vamp and tongue made in accordance'with my method.

Fig. 12 is an under plan view of said one-piece vamp and tongue.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken on the line l3-l3 of Fig. 11.

While the practice of my method is not limited to any particular mechanism, I shall describe briefly portions of certain apparatus that are convenient for effecting the several operations.

Referring to Fig. '1, 2B is a base supporting a plate 2| of resilient material, the rearward end -22 of which is secured to the upstanding flange.

23 formed integral with said base. Supported by the base is a horse-shoe shaped die holder 24 carrying the die 25 which has the same configuration as the tongue section of the moccasin. The plate is provided with a horseshoe shaped aperture 26 disposed above the die, and springs 2'! are interposed between the plate and base.

to the flesh side of the leather for the reason that the height of the die is less than the thickness of the material.

In Fig. 3, so is the needle plate of a doubleneedle three-thread machine to which I have added a stationary fin 3| upstanding from the central portion of the needle plate and disposed midway between the paths of the needles.

In Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, is the shank of the presser-foot with which such machines are provided, to which I have added two guide and presser members 4| arranged on either side of the needle holes 42. The forward edges 43 of said members flare outwardly to facilitate the entrance into the slot 44 of the rib formed at the margins of the tongue section, as hereinafter described, and the proximate edges of said members rearwardly of the flaring portions thereof are Drovided with grooves 45'registering with the needles aforesaid.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the vamp blank provided with the cut 5! defining the juncture between the vamp and tongue sections is placed on the needle plate with one end of said out disposed over the; fin SI, and the presser-foot lowered on said blank to bend the material over said fin.

The machine is then actuated and as the blank is fed therethrough, successive portions of the outline of the tongue section are continuously forced upwardly by the stationary fin 3| to form a rib at the margins of said section and simultaneously such portions of said rib are set by passing two rows of stitches 52, 52 perpendicw larly through the successive portions of the blank at the respective sides of the rib 53 formed by the overlapping edges 54, 54 of the material on either side of the cut 5!.

The machine employed preferably is a doubleneedle machine provided with the usual looper whereby the loops formed by the needle are gathered together and secured on the underside of the material, as indicated at 55, the thread mass formed by the two threads which pass perpendicularly through the material and the looper thread serving to assist in maintaining the shape of the rib.

By means of my improved method, the several steps of which may be performed by the mechanism illustrated, or other suitable mechanism, or by hand, I provide a one-piece moccasin vamp and tongue that is indistinguishable from a vamp and tongue formed separately and united by stitching. By my method a substantial saving in cost over prior methods of making vamp and tongue sections of imitation moccasins is realized, for the reasons that one operation and a certain amount of material are eliminated,- specifically, the cord placed below the cut define ing the juncture between the vamp and tongue sections obviously is not needed in my procedure and the folding and pasting operation of the method involving the doubling back of the material upon itself and the setting of the ridge so formed by a row of transverse stitches, is eliminated. It is to be understood that my invention is broader than mere apparatus and may be practiced by a variety of mechanisms other than those hereinbefore specifically describedfl Having thus described an illustrative embodi ment of my invention without, however, limiting flesh side of said blank, continuously forcing. upwardly the successive portions of said outline to form a rib at the margins of the tongue section and simultaneously therewith setting such portions of said rib by passing two rows of stitches perpendicularly through the successive portions of the material at-the respective sides of said rib, gathering together the loops formed by the needles on the underside of the material and securing the same on such underside thereby formingea thread mass immediately beneath the central portion of the rib to assist in maintaining the shape of said rib.

2. The method of making the vamp and tongue sections of an imitation moccasin, which comprises cutting through the surface of. the grain side of a vamp blank the outline of the tongue section, such cutbreaking the surface of the grain but not extending through to the flesh side of said blank, continuously forcing upwardly the successive portions of said outline to form a rib at the margins of the tongue section and simultaneously therewith setting such portions of said rib by passing two rows of stitches perpendicularly through the successive portions of the material at the respective sides of said rib, gathering together the loops formed by the needles on the underside of the material and securing the same on such underside thereby forming a thread mass immediately beneath the,

central portion of the rib to assist in maintaining the shape of said rib.

WILLIAM FINN. 

